Gowan v. Mid Century Insurance

309 F.R.D. 503, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 121053, 2015 WL 5315692
CourtDistrict Court, D. South Dakota
DecidedSeptember 11, 2015
DocketNo. 5:14-CV-05025-LLP
StatusPublished
Cited by39 cases

This text of 309 F.R.D. 503 (Gowan v. Mid Century Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. South Dakota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gowan v. Mid Century Insurance, 309 F.R.D. 503, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 121053, 2015 WL 5315692 (D.S.D. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER ON PLAINTIFF’S MOTIONS TO COMPEL

VERONICA L. DUFFY, United States Magistrate Judge.

INTRODUCTION

This matter is pending before the court on plaintiff Stephen M. Gowaris amended complaint alleging defendant Mid Century Insurance Company denied his worker’s compensation claim in bad faith. See Docket No. 49. Jurisdiction is premised on diverse citizenship of the parties and an amount in controversy in excess of $75,000. Id.; see also 28 U.S.C. § 1332. Mr. Gowan has filed three separate motions to compel discovery, all of which have been referred to this magistrate judge for decision pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(A). See Docket No. 47.

DISCUSSION

Because one of the issues raised in the motions to compel is the relevancy of various items of discovery, some background facts are necessary to provide context. These facts are drawn from the parties’ briefs and Mr. Gowaris amended complaint. The court’s recitation of the facts thus gleaned does not represent any imprimatur of the court as to them veracity.

Stephen Gowan injured his right knee at work in 2000. His employer had a worker’s compensation insurance policy with Mid Century. Mr. Gowan and Mid Century settled Mi’. Gowaris worker’s compensation claim under terms that did not impact Mr. Gowaris right to future medical treatment for his work related injury. Mid Century continued to provide medical treatment for Mr. Gowan until such time as his treating physician recommended he undergo knee replacement surgery. At this time, Mid Century denied coverage for the knee replacement surgery as well as for injections to Mr. Gowaris right knee that he had previously been receiving to help control his pain.

Mid Century hired Richard Farnham, M.D. to conduct an independent medical exam (IME) on Mr. Gowan. Mid Century had previously hired Dr. Farnham on 11 occasions between 2000 and 2012 to provide it with IMEs on various Mid Century claimants. Mr. Gowan alleges that Mid Century hired Dr. Farnham because he was “notoriously biased in favor of insurance companies.” Mr. Gowan alleges it was Mid Century’s expectation in hiring Dr. Farnham that he would render an opinion that would support Mid Century denying or limiting medical treatment to Mr. Gowan.

Dr. Farnham issued an opinion that Mr. Gowan did indeed need a total knee replacement of his right knee and that the surgery was related to Mr. Gowaris 2000 work-related injury. However, Dr. Farnham opined the portion of the knee replacement surgery occasioned by the work injury was only 25%, while 75% was non-work related. Accordingly, Mid Century agreed only to shoulder 25% of the cost of the anticipated surgery. Mr. Gowaris doctor refused to perform the surgery because Mid Century was not agreeing to pay for it. Mid Century discontinued payments for Mr. Gowaris knee injections. Dr. Famham’s opinion did not touch on the matter of these injections.

On February 10, 2009, a file note in Mid Century’s file regarding Mr. Gowan states, “FILE STRATEGY* * * *GOAL* * DENY FURTHER.” Discovery in this matter uncovered facts showing that the author of this file note was Janet Estes, the supervisor of Michael Shoback, the claims handler assigned by Mid Century to handle Mr. Gow-aris claim.

Mr. Gowan consulted the attorney who represented him in his 2000 worker’s compensation injury, but the attorney declined to [507]*507represent Mr. Gowan in the matter related to his knee surgery. Mr. Gowan was able to find another attorney to represent him. This attorney filed a petition for a hearing with the South Dakota Department of Labor. Mid Century answered the petition by denying Mr. Gowan was entitled to knee replacement surgery or knee injections and asking that Mr. Gowan’s petition be dismissed with prejudice.

At some point while the petition was pending, Mid Century reversed course and granted Mr. Gowan’s request for payment of the knee replacement surgery. The surgery was performed in February, 2014. Mr. Gowan filed the instant lawsuit before this court two months later. Now pending are three separate motions to compel discovery filed by Mr. Gowan. See Docket Nos. 21, 30 and 43. Mid Century resists these motions. See Docket Nos. 26, 34, and 51.

A. Meet and Confer Requirement

Rule 37(a)(1) requires the parties to meet and confer to attempt to resolve discovery disputes prior to filing a motion to compel. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 37(a)(1). In addition, this court’s local rules impose a similar requirement. See DSD LR 37.1. The parties discussed the discovery dispute in this matter thoroughly and on multiple occasions over the course of several weeks. See Docket Nos. 22, 31, & 45. Mid Century does not dispute that Mr. Gowan has satisfied the meet and confer requirement. The court finds this prerequisite satisfied.

B. General Principles Applicable to Discovery in Federal Court

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(b)(1) sets forth the scope of discovery in civil eases pending in federal court:

Unless otherwise limited by court order, the scope of discovery is as follows: Parties may obtain discovery regarding any nonprivileged matter that is relevant to any party’s claim or defense — including the existence, description, nature, custody, condition, and location of any documents or other tangible things and the identity and location of persons who know of any discoverable matter. For good cause, the court may order discovery of any matter relevant to the subject matter involved in the action. Relevant information need not be admissible at the trial if the discovery appears reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence. All discovery is subject to the limitations imposed by Rule 26(b)(2)(C).

See Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(b)(1). Rule 26 contains specific limitations relative to electronic discovery and other objections to providing discovery:

(B) Specific Limitations on Electronically Stored Information. A party need not provide discovery of electronically stored information from sources that the party identifies as not reasonably accessible because of undue burden or cost. On motion to compel discovery or for a protective order, the party from whom discovery is sought must show that the information is not reasonably accessible because of undue burden or cost. If that showing is made, the court may nonetheless order discovery from such sources if the requesting party shows good cause, considering the limitations of Rule 26(b)(2)(C). The court may specify the conditions for the discovery.
C. When Required. On motion or on its own, the court must limit the frequency or extent of discovery otherwise allowed by these rules or by local rule if it determines that:

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Bluebook (online)
309 F.R.D. 503, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 121053, 2015 WL 5315692, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gowan-v-mid-century-insurance-sdd-2015.